Ekiti begins rehabilitation of 1,000 km rural roads to enhance agric development
The Ekiti State Government has begun a 1,000-kilometre rural road rehabilitation project across the state, with the advertisement of bid for the first of 65.10 kilometres of backlog/ rehabilitation intervention, covering several communities and farmsteads.
According to a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Olayinka Oyebode, the road project comes under the World Bank-assisted Rural Access and Agriculture Marketing Project (RAAMP) with counterpart funding from the state government.
Under the project, a total of 1,000 kilometres of rural roads would be fixed to enhance the easy transportation of farm produce to the markets.
The rural road construction is in line with Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s plan to ensure that rural roads receive equal attention as roads in the urban areas to enhance infrastructure upgrades in the rural areas and promote agricultural development and food security by linking farms to markets through good roads.
According to the advertised bid for the first 65.10 kilometres backlog/ rehabilitation, the roads for constructions are Enu Odi-Itenu –Igirigiri Road (8.41km); Omisanjana-Ben Folarin- Oke Aso Road (5.70km); Ara-Oye Road (8.77km); Afolu-Odofin Road (1.95km); Ise-Imola Road (5.30km); Owode Anaye Road (2.8km).
Others are Erinmope-Irare-Ikosun Road (6.68km); Iye-Isapa- Olopomeji- Ikun Road (5.10km); Ara-Ekameta Schol Road (2.05km); Igbole/Osin- Iropora Road (4.60km); Ilupeju-Igbo Egan Road (3.1km); FMS- Oke Ako Road (3.40km); and Ikosi-Aba Osun- Aba Oriokuta- Ikogosi Road (7.19km).
Other interventions coming up before the middle of the year include a 128-kilometre spot improvement intervention and the design of another 100-kilometre backlog/rehabilitation with another 40-kilometre upgrade intervention.
Governor Oyebanji described the commencement of the project as timely. He appealed to communities and farmsteads that are not covered under the first phase of the project to exercise patience as they would be included in subsequent phases in line with the agriculture and rural development agenda of his administration.
